Crossword solution

Unclued lights are leaders of the Labour party. First prize E.P. Ryan, Bath Runners-up John Foster, Yearsley, York; Roy Sharp, Kelburn, Wellington, New Zealand

The unclued lights are DOCTORS and all can be verified in Brewer. First prize Sarah Darlington, Acton Trussell, Stafford Runners-up Colin Ratledge, Leven, East Yorks; Mark Humble, Beercrocombe, Taunton

The unclued lights (10/30/39 and 16/41, 28/35 and 30/32) are WALTZES by Johann Strauss II, apart from (THE) SKATERS Waltz which was composed by Waldteufel. First prize Jon Owen, London Runners-up John Henson, Windsor; J. Bielawski, Southport

The initial and final trio of letters of the eight nine-letter unclued lights are reversals of each other. This property is suggested by the ‘other title’ – There and Back Again – of the puzzle’s title The Hobbit. First prize Tom Rollinson, Borehamwood, Herts Runners-up Richard Higson, Rugby, Warwickshire; Norman Watterson, Hillsborough, Co. Down

The unclued lights reveal ‘It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done,’ said by Sydney CARTON towards the end of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles DICKENS. First prize Jane Hudson, Eye, Suffolk Runners-up Gordon Hobbs, Woodford Green, Essex; D.P. Shenkin, London WC1

The unclued lights are ‘Some less than objective definitions’, listed among the section at the rear of Chambers 13th edition. First prize E. and S. MacIntosh, Darlington Runners-up Alastair Aberdare, London SW13; Tim Hanks, Douglas, Isle of Man

The eight unclued entries are the names of Verdi operas: FALSTAFF, AIDA, NABUCCO, ERNANI, IL TROVATORE, LA TRAVIATA, RIGOLETTO, OTELLO. The puzzle’s title suggests an anagram of the composer’s name, Verdi. First prize Zoe Hope, Cilgerran, Cardigan Runners-up Clive West, Old Windsor, Berkshire; Robert Teuton, Frampton Cotterell, Gloucestershire

The ship was HMS Bellerophon, nicknamed BILLY RUFFIAN (11A/14A), whose BATTLE honours included THE GLORIOUS FIRST OF JUNE, THE NILE and TRAFALGAR and whose most famous passenger was NAPOLEON who surrendered to her after Waterloo. Her final role was as a prison HULK (23D). Title: having 74 guns she was a ‘third-rate’. First prize D.C.

The unclued lights can precede or follow ROYAL. The preamble should have read: Seven unclued lights (two of two words) follow and four precede a word defined by the title. Doc apologises for the error. First prize Andrew Bell, Shrewsbury, Shropshire Runners-up C.R. Haigh, Hassocks, W. Sussex; Paul Elliott, London W12

Associations with BLACK were 7 SABLE, 25 BOYCOTT and 32 SOMBRE; with CUR 6A RASCAL, 14 VARLET and 20 WRETCH; and with RANT 1A HARANGUE, 15 TIRADE and 24 RAIL. First prize Brian Taylor, Horwich, Bolton Runners-up Laura Gould, Shrewsbury; A. Tucker, Winchester

The unclued lights can follow QUEEN’S, all of which are verifiable in Brewer. First prize Fred Rainbow, Birmingham Runners-up Andrew Durham, Billinghurst, W. Sussex; Sandra Speak, Dursley, Gloucestershire

The unclued Across lights are synonyms or a meaning of BACK and are therefore entered backwards in the grid. The unclued Down lights are synonyms of UP and are therefore entered upwards in the grid. First prize Adam Branscombe, Fulbourn, CambsRunners-up Joanne Aston, Norby, Thirsk; Susan Bell, Reeth, N. Yorks

The unclued lights comprise the seven themes (here in upper case) and six theme-words beginning with A to F. ARTISTS: Andy Warhol, Banksy, Canaletto, Dali, El Greco, Fragonard               BATTLES: Anzio, Boyne, Cannae, Dunbar, El Alamein, Flodden CAPITALS: Athens, Berlin, Caracas, Doha, Edinburgh, Freetown DOGS: Airedale, Beagle, Corgi, Dachshund, Elkhound, Fido EQUINES: Arkle, Bidet, Clydesdale, Desert/Orchid,

Don BRADMAN (26) said, ‘When you play test cricket you don’t give Englishmen an inch’. The other unclued lights are: CUMMINS (12), URN (27), ASHES (13), and STOKES (32). AUS/ENG, in the seventh row, should be highlighted. The title is taken from the same Bradman quotation. First prize Roger Mills, Emsworth, Hants Runners-up Nigel Finlay,

‘THE HORROR! THE HORROR!’ (4D/18A/3D) is a quotation from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, author of THE SECRET AGENT (9D). The protagonists are MARLOW (31D) and KURTZ (21A) and the tale was told in a YAWL (24A) called NELLIE (26D). Title: abbr. KN = heart of DARKNESS. First prize James Smalley, Walthamstow, London E17

The unclued lights yield five phrases in German, all listed in one of the appendices in Chambers 13th edition: 1A, 17&31, 19D&18A, 37&30 and 43&29. First prize Diane Saxon, Stockport Runners-up Patrick Macdougall, London SW6; Martin Plews and Anne Greenwood, Horsham, W. Sussex

The unclued lights are first names of authors known by their initials: W.H. Auden (31), A.S. Byatt (40,2), T.S. Eliot (7,10), C.S. Lewis (35,6A) and P.G. Wodehouse (34,4). First prize Marcus Clissold-Lesser, Ramsgate, Kent Runners-up Jenny Mitchell, Croscombe, Somerset; Alison Gillam, Knotty Green, Buckinghamshire

The unclued lights (including the pair at 4/41) are the friends of Winnie-the-Pooh in the books by A.A. Milne. First prize Fred Rainbow, Birmingham Runners-up Adam McNaney, Oxford; Val Urquhart, Butcombe, Somerset

The unclued lights are F1 RACE TRACKS which include the pairs at 15 & 16 and 36 & 26. First prize Christine Rees, Cowlinge, Suffolk Runners-up Dorothy Mulvenna, Bay Horse, Lancaster; Richard Lawn, Coventry

The combined fleets of France and Spain met that of England at TRAFALGAR (13) on 21 October 1805. Vice-Admirals NELSON (30) in the VICTORY (27), and COLLINGWOOD (16dn) faced Vice-Admiral VILLENEUVE (19), in the BUCENTAURE (12), and Admiral GRAVINA (22). A COLUMN was later erected in Nelson’s honour. First prize Jamie Thomson, Hungerford, Berks Runners-up